Dane DeLugo '22 Recruiting Profile

Recently, my Mom sent out a picture of me from nine years ago to our family group text.. The photo showed me grinning ear to ear after a Little League baseball game. It was one of those 'flashback' memories on Facebook. That day I had 4 hits, 3 runs and 2 RBI's and was named the MVP, taking home the game ball. That's a pretty good day. My Mom wrote 'look out MLB'. I'm not sure I was up to date on the major leagues back then, but I did know that I loved the game and wanted to play baseball forever. Now, almost a decade later my passion to play and desire to improve is even stronger. I've always been driven to work hard and train intensely, but now that high school is here and I can see college on the horizon I'm propelled to achieve that goal. 

The thing is I know many baseball players - and there are a lot of us - say they WANT to play college ball, but I am ready to work HARD and TRAIN harder and STUDY even harder to make sure I have the skills and grades in place to make the dream a reality. I am putting my plan into action. I train multiple days a week outside of the baseball program at my high school and I play on multiple baseball teams to hone my skill set. I realize that any collegiate baseball program will require me to juggle a rigorous baseball schedule and academics. I'm doing that right now at one of the top-ranked public high schools in Texas. I also have a full slate of extra-curricular activities with community service organizations, church activities, and school-related volunteer work and programs.  

My teammates and classmates would likely describe me as a positive person to be around and someone who helps and supports others with enthusiasm and humor. I am often picked to be a team leader in baseball, if there is an activity or drill. In school, I am seen the same way. I was selected by my peers to be part of the inaugural HOPE Squad, which is a peer counseling group put in place to mentor and counsel students who are going through tough times and may even be considering suicide. I felt honored that my peers who pick me for this critical role. I feel the same way about being on the baseball field. Players must be leaders and role models in every way, including character and intergrity. In my service group, Young Men's Service League, I have served as an officer and was the only person to receive the top service award this year for my class.  Each year I participate in a week-long high school school mission trip with my church. This past summer several of us came home with a bad case of poison ivy after the trip, but it was worth it to see a man's home completely restored from top to bottom after our week of work.

It's exciting and exhilarating to think about the next few years and where baseball might take me. I have faith that I'll find the right fit in a school and a program. I'll never be as young as that little MVP who was holding the game ball that day, but I still feel that same burst of energy thinking about the game and that will never change.